Swimming Places 4th at Landmark Championship, Ladas and Wisler Come up Big

Alexis Carlucci, Staff
February 17, 2012
Filed under Sports

The men’s and women’s swim teams had a long three-day weekend at the Landmark Conference Swimming Championships, where both teams placed in fourth. The Lady Cardinals placed fourth out of eight teams, accumulating 443 total points, and the men placed fourth out of seven, gathering 366 total points. Throughout the three days of meets Catholic had two winners, freshman Julia Wisler and sophomore Joanna Ladas.

On day one of the championship, Ladas was the lone CUA title winner. She took the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:08.39. Wisler also broke the 50 freestyle school record with a time of 24.62, which gave her a third place finish. For the men, Caleb Capozella placed third in the 200 IM with a time of 1:57.18, and Dominick Grillo also finished third in the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.45.

On the second day of action, again, Ladas was the only CUA swimmer to finish first. She dominated the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:55.95, which became a school record and a Landmark Conference Championship Meet record.

For the women’s team, Wisler placed third in the 100 butterfly with a time of 59.92, which became a school record. The 800 freestyle relay team, composed of Gabrielle Giambagno, Wisler, Ladas, and Nicole DiGiacinto, placed second with a time of 8:04.20. This time also broke the old school record.

For the men’s team, Capozella placed second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 52.03, which also was a new school record. Luke Granelli placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:02.50.

On Sunday, the last day of the competition, Wisler won the 100 freestyle championship with a time of 53.90. Fellow Cardinals swimmer Ashley Wilson placed eighth, earning more points for the women’s team.

Wisler was the only first place winner for the women’s team on the last day of the championship, but the Cardinals had two important second place finishes. Ladas finished second in the 1650 freestyle, and Chelsea Doyle finished second in the 200 backstroke. Doyle broke a school record with a time of 2:13.04.

Giambagno placed third in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:19.19. The 400 freestyle relay team, made up of Ladas, Wilson, Wisler, and DiGiacinto, also finished in third place with a time of 3:40.82.

For the men’s team, Capozella placed second in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:53.81. Paul McGee placed ninth for the Cardinals, earning more points. Capozella, Grillo, Stephen Gill, and Brendan Reilly made up the 400 freestyle relay team, which placed fourth with a time of 3:16.81.

Among Catholic swimmers, Ladas and Wisler, earned First Team All-Conference Recognition. Capozella, Giambagno, DeGiacinto, and Doyle earned Second Team All-Conference Recognition.